Peter Jackson's The Return of the King Script/The Choices of Master Samwise Gamgee
CUT TO: EXT. PASS OF CIRITH UNGOL - DAY ANGLE ON: FRODO STAGGERS through the PASS OF CIRITH UNGOL ... the weight of the RING, dragging at his neck. He MOVES FORWARD, fueled by a GRIM RESOLVE ... ANGLE ON: FRODO starts climbing a STONE STAIRCASE that climbs through a NARROW PASS ... TALL PEAKS rise on either side, like pillars holding up a sagging sky. (CONTINUED) Final Revision - October, 2003 96. CONTINUED: AHEAD is the SUMMIT of CIRITH UNGOL ... and an ORC WATCH TOWER! A FAINT LIGHT glows from within the STONE TOWER . . . the PATH over the SUMMIT is in FULL VIEW of the ORCS. FRODO stays CLOSE to the ROCK WALL, masked by SHADOWS. LOW ANGLE: Behind FRODO, SHELOB APPEARS! With hideous STEALTH, she follows FRODO ... ANGLE ON: FRODO slowly climbing the STONE STAIRS . . . his GAZE and CONCENTRATION on the ORC TOWER. Behind him, SHELOB lurches into a HORRIBLE SCUTTLE down the SHEER ROCK FACE. CLOSE ON: FRODO suddenly senses the LURKING MALICE . . . he SPINS AROUND: Before he can react, SHELOB VICIOUSLY STABS FRODO in the NECK with her monstrous abdominal STINGER! FRODO instantly goes LIMP . . . SHELOB'S LEGS catch him as he around him. With falls ... she quickly starts WEAVING COBWEBS great dexterity, she tumbles the LITTLE HOBB IT over and over in her LEGS, binding him in WEB from HEAD to TOE! SUDDENLY!... The RAZOR SHARP EDGE of a SWORD comes into shot. REVEAL ON: SAMWISE GAMGEE stands before the GIANT SPIDER - STING clutched in one hand, the SHINING PHIAL in the other! SAM Let him go, you filth! SHELOB HISSES at SAM . . . DROPPING FRODO . . . he ROLLS down the STAIRS in his WEB COCOON. SAM (cont'd) You will not touch him again! SAM moves forward, a fell light in his normally friendly eyes SAM (cont'd) Come on and finish it! SAM SWINGS the small sword . . . SLASHING upward! (CONTINUED) Final Revision - October, 2003 97 CONTINUED: (2) ANGLE ON: SHELOB HISSES and REARS above SAM, her STINGER dribbling with VENOM! SAM ducks inside the arch of her LEGS and STABS STING into one of her EYE CLUSTERS! CLOSE ON: SHELOB SCREAMS, her MANDIBLES thrashing wildly, GREEN OOZE trickling from her WOUNDED EYE. With HIND LEGS, SHELOB picks SAM off the ground and TOSSES him BACKWARDS! SAM lands heavily . . . and SHELOB POUNCES! ANGLE ON: SHELOB heaves the great bag of her BELLY high above SAM'S HEAD. As she splays her legs to drive her huge bulk down on him, SAM lifts the ELVEN BLADE above his head, holding it with TWO HANDS. STING slides into SHELOB'S SOFT UNDERBELLY! A SHUDDER runs through her! HEAVING up. again, she wrenches herself away from the PAIN ... her LIMBS writhing beneath her. ANGLE ON: JERKING and QUIVERING, SHELOB crawls to her HOLE, leaving a trail of GREEN-YELLOW SLIME. She SQUEEZES down the HOLE and DISAPPEARS ... the SOUND of her BUBBLING MISERY fades. . : ANGLE ON: SAM RACES TO FRODO . . . SAM (cont'd) (worried) Mr Frodo! . CLOSE ON: SAM RIPS COBWEBS away from FRODO'S HEAD . . . his FACE is DEATHLY PALE. SAM (cont'd) (panicking) Oh no! Frodo! CLOSE ON: FRODO'S PALE, LIFELESS FACE. SAM (cont'd) Mr Frodo! Wake up! FRODO'S head LOLLS LIFELESSLY in SAM'S ARMS. (CONTINUED) Final Revision - October, 2003 98. CONTINUED: ( 3 ) SAM (cont'd) (desperate whisper) Wake up . . . don't leave me here alone. Don't go where I can't follow. Wake up! CLOSE ON: FRODO STARING, UNMOVING. SAM (cont'd) (numbly) Not asleep ... Dead. SAM lays his FACE on FRODO'S CHEST . . . WEEPING SOFTLY. CLOSE ON: STING'S BLADE GLOWS BLUE! SOUNDTRACK: TRAMPING FEET approach . . . CLINKING METAL . . . HARSH SHOUTS! CLOSE ON: SAM looks up . . . looks back down FRODO. CLOSE ON: SAM looks up at the ORC TOWER and then at STING which is glowing BLUE! ORCS approach - SAM must make a decision. ANGLE ON: A SMALL PARTY of ORCS and URUK-HAI heading down the STAIRS from the WATCH TOWER! . . . SHAGRAT leads the URUK-HAI, and GORBAG leads the ORCS. GORBAG spies FRODO'S BODY . . . GORBAG What's this? Looks like Old Shelob's been having a bit of fun! SHAGRAT Killed another one, has she? ANGLE ON: GORBAG peer curiously at FRODO as he leans down and pokes at FRODO'S LIFELESS BODY. GORBAG No . . . this fellow ain't dead. CLOSE ON: SAM, hidden:in a rock crevice, as SHOCK sweeps across his FACE! ,. (CONTINUED) Final Revision - October, 2003 99. CONTINUED: ( 4 ) SAM (to himself) Not dead! GORBAG (excited). She jabs them with her stinger and they go as limp as a boned fish. Then she has her way with them. That's how she likes to feed - fresh blood. (yelling) Get him to the Tower! SAM Samwise, you fool! ANGLE ON: The ORCS GRUNT as they lift FRODO . . . and CARRY him back towards the WATCH TOWER. ORC 2 This fellow will be awake in a few hours. GORBAG Then he'll wish he'd never been born. ORC LAUGHTER . . . FRODO is carried up the steep STAIRS .;.. .